Preview — Ignite the Stars
by Maura Milan

Ignite the Stars

Everyone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl.

A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her true identity is exposedEveryone in the universe knows his name. Everyone in the universe fears him. But no one realizes that notorious outlaw Ia Cocha is a seventeen-year-old girl.

A criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot, Ia has spent her life terrorizing the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home. When the Commonwealth captures her and her true identity is exposed, they see Ia’s age and talent as an opportunity: by forcing her to serve them, they will prove that no one is beyond their control.

Soon, Ia is trapped at the Commonwealth’s military academy, desperately plotting her escape. But new acquaintances—including Brinn, a seemingly average student with a closely-held secret, and their charming Flight Master, Knives—cause Ia to question her own alliances. Can she find a way to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen?...more

this was EVERYTHING I expected and more. I love the cover so much, even the vague and general space nebula background behind the model.

Ignite the Stars was the manifestation of everything I’ve wanted in a sci-fi novel: → a badass Asian protagonist→ a found family→ a slow-burn-as-hell romance→ subtle current-day political themes

Seriously, Ia is amazing and she knows it.

Also, why was this pitched as Throne of Glass in space? This has a similar premise, but the plot goes in a very di*sobs in asian*

this was EVERYTHING I expected and more. I love the cover so much, even the vague and general space nebula background behind the model.

Ignite the Stars was the manifestation of everything I’ve wanted in a sci-fi novel: → a badass Asian protagonist→ a found family→ a slow-burn-as-hell romance→ subtle current-day political themes

Seriously, Ia is amazing and she knows it.

Also, why was this pitched as Throne of Glass in space? This has a similar premise, but the plot goes in a very different direction?? (If you don't like this because it's pitched as Throne of Glass, let it be known that this is a lot more diverse!)

Sure, she killed people, but those people had killed hundreds before she got her hands on them. It was a bloody, bone-breaking kind of justice, but it was still justice.

Ia is a teenage outlaw who’s basically ruthless and untrusting of anyone except her brother. She’s like Kaz but in female, Asian form and in space. And YOU BET she goes through an arc where she finds friends that won’t betray her. 💯👍🏼💯

Brinn is hiding the fact that she’s half-Tawny, part of a widely discriminated against group, by dying her hair brown from its natural shade of blue. She’s basically a freaking genius and I love the subtle political theme behind her patriotism vs. her identity.

Knives has a weird as hell name, but I still love him nonetheless. He’s an instructor at the space academy that literally just wants to lay low and do the bare minimum until Ia is thrown in his face, aka the most relatable character ever.

This story starts with Ia being captured by the Olympus Commonwealth who decide that the best idea to deal with her is to have her train as a cadet for their military. (The Olympus Commonwealth colonizes a ton, btw.)

Ia decides that she'll pretend to go along with this training, but she would gather information to try and break out. She ends up being roommates with Brinn, our half-Tawny.

This was really refreshing as a science-fiction because unlike a lot more common science-fictions set in space, this still has many touches of the current world; like the presence of mass media as well the heavier themes of colonization. I feel that a lot of fans of Starflight would really enjoy this book.

Her eyes narrowed at him. One day, he would realize that deadly things also come in small packages.

Honestly, this had a fairly shaky beginning but by the ninth chapter/around 60 pages I was completely invested in the storyline, the characters, and their relationships.

The romance wasn’t a huge plot point as much as our plot was about our characters learning to accept each others/themselves but I still really enjoyed reading it!

I want to talk about the growing friendship between Ia and Brinn because it’s my favorite thing on. this. earth. Ia helps Brinn get in touch with her identity as a Tawny by teaching her things she didn’t even know about herself, like their abilities. Ia encourages Brinn to love the Tawny part of herself and I just? 💕💕💖💖💞💕💓💞💓

And then Brinn helps Ia care for others and stays by Ia’s side even through Ia’s personal problems and I just? 💕💕💖💖💞💕💓💞💓💕💕💖💖💞💕💓💞💓

The character development and relationships are seriously the highlight of this entire book and make up for the less original plotline/premise!! (...I saw the plot twist coming from the first chapter.)

She'd go along with being a cadet for now, until they'd all forgotten about the Blood Wolf within their ranks. Once their defenses were down, only then would she flash her teeth.

I loved the political theme centering around Brinn’s identity as a Tawny. Brinn tries to deny herself being half-Tawny not just by dying her hair, but by pretending as if it doesn’t matter/doesn’t exist. I could really connect to this narrative (even though I’m not biracial), and I’m sure so many other readers will too.

There’s a moment in the book where she tries to convince herself that even though she’s Tawny, she wouldn’t be discriminated and then there’s a sinking feeling in her gut that she would be; I feel like this will be a very important book to many people.

This book has a lot of discussion about patriotism; Brinn feels proud for the Olympus Commonwealth and feels extremely patriotic about the military while her family doesn’t understand how she can care so much for a place that doesn’t care for her. When she meets Ia, she feels disillusioned as she discovers that the Olympus isn’t as lawful and good as it claims to be.

Anyways, I just really loved Brinn’s character development as she becomes more comfortable with her Tawny identity. 💞💕💓

Brinn was technically half-Tawny, but in her eyes, she was a Commonwealth Citizen through and through. Only a Commonwealth Citizen.

The couple of qualms I have about this book are mainly about its characterization of Ia. I feel like this book couldn't decide between having Ia being a vicious antiheroine vs. her being misconstrued as a villain when she's really all for justice. (Also, the curse word "mif" was used a lot and all I can say is ....interesting choice.)

Overall, this book has such an amazing underlying message beneath its exterior of a space sci-fi and it’s going to be important for so many readers: both for its poc model on its cover and for its underlying political message. I highly recommend this book, for biracial people and poc especially. It's more than just a general science-fiction book.

Trigger and content warnings for genocide, death, colonization, and torture....more

So rarely do books that I hype up in my mind actually live up to the ridiculously high standards I make for them, but Ignite the Stars ignited an explosion and blew me all the way past the stars.

Literally. The notes section of my phone for this book looks like this:

WHAAAAATAMAZINGLOVE IT

So I was obviously very articulate the minute after reading it. BUT IT WAS JUST SO GOOD.

I mean, Ia, the Blood Wolf, the Asian (!!!) sev5 STARS

I've been rendered speechless from this book. Because WOW.

WOW.

WOW.

WOW.

So rarely do books that I hype up in my mind actually live up to the ridiculously high standards I make for them, but Ignite the Stars ignited an explosion and blew me all the way past the stars.

Literally. The notes section of my phone for this book looks like this:

WHAAAAATAMAZINGLOVE IT

So I was obviously very articulate the minute after reading it. BUT IT WAS JUST SO GOOD.

I mean, Ia, the Blood Wolf, the Asian (!!!) seventeen-year-old who's doing way more amazing things than I am right now, was such a cool character and quite the badass with a decent moral compass (y'know, for a murderer). So many people will love her and she definitely pulled some very cool (and very wily) moves throughout the story.

But I really loved Brinn the most.

Brinn was the real star of the novel in my mind. In the novel, the Tawnies have blue hair and are typically refugees of the Olympus Commonwealth who've been greatly discriminated against. And the way Brinn grew throughout the novel--first going to great lengths to hide her blue hair and fit in with her peers, then to finally accepting herself and her identity and most importantly, her people--was the greatest struggle and greatest triumph of this novel.

So many multicultural teens these days struggle with accepting their identity, and although nobody's #OwnVoices for Brinn (blue hair, remember?) her story is something that so many people will be able to relate to. How many times have I felt ashamed of my culture and tried to hide it? More times than I should be.

I really connected with Brinn and the way she accepted her heritage was really inspiring to me, and something that I found to be one of the most important storylines in this novel.

Not gonna lie, I was low key shipping Brinn and Ia, but Knives is cool too. I feel like there's a lot more of his character left to explore than any of the other narrators, so I'm very excited to see what Milan does with him in book 2!

Honestly, the star of the show (after Brinn, of course) was the action. The action was so smooth and engaging and never felt stuttered or just lame. The whole book was entertaining, honestly, and I found the dialogue smooth and the conflict with deliciously high stakes.

Plus, the betrayals were awesome, although I feel like I expected some of the twists. But it felt okay to me because of how it exposed Ia's character flaws, which was nice to see that she's not the perfect murderess.

I do have to note that the tradition begun by Battlestar Galactica continues in Ignite the Stars. Fictional curse words (think Across the Universe or LIFEL1K3, not the benign "stars" in The Lunar Chronicles) are present.

(Honestly, I prefer fiction curse words in circumstances like these rather than modern curse words, because it makes no sense whatsoever why this other star system would use our modern curse words. Curse words change throughout centuries (i.e. zounds), so why would they not change across light years?)

And it's not like the curse words are totally ridiculous. I believe one is "mung" which is used in the same way as "shit," and it makes sense (not only because it rhymes with dung, but also because sometimes I just dislike mung beans).

Overall, I just had such a fun time reading this awesome and super entertaining novel. Plus, the gorgeous model on the cover doesn't make it hurt (and she actually looks like what I envision Ia looks like, so that's also really really great).

I definitely recommend to anyone who loves science fiction or who just wants to pick up an awesome book in general? Yeah, you.

Thank you so much to Albert Whitman @ BookCon and Netgalley for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thoughtful, compelling, and filled with important and relevant themes.Ignite the Stars may be one of the best science-fiction space operas I have read a in long while.

- Follows Ia, a criminal mastermind who is captured by her enemy, the Commonwealth, and is forced to work for them; Brinn, a biracial Tawny who wants nothing more than to hide her heritage and prove her patriotism to the Commonwealth; and Knives, a CommonwThe full review for Ignite the Stars can be found on my blog, The Quiet Pond.

Thoughtful, compelling, and filled with important and relevant themes.Ignite the Stars may be one of the best science-fiction space operas I have read a in long while.

- Follows Ia, a criminal mastermind who is captured by her enemy, the Commonwealth, and is forced to work for them; Brinn, a biracial Tawny who wants nothing more than to hide her heritage and prove her patriotism to the Commonwealth; and Knives, a Commonwealth flight captain who doubts the Commonwealth's regime.- The characters were brilliant! Milan took her time to meaningfully develop each character, and the dialogue between them was amazing. Found family/female friendships! Enemies-to-lovers!- Though this book is largely character-driven, I found that the story was really interesting as well with some great plot twists and really awesome developments!- Explores political themes; about working through our prejudices, revenge, internalised racism, the impact of imperalism, and how narratives shape history, identity, and how we perceive the world.- The ending presents a really exciting and interesting platform for the second book and I CANNOT WAIT!!

This was super awesome! I admit that maybe it wasn't the most original of plots, but it was an old plot in a new setting that made it seem really fresh and interesting. And it was a fun plot, at any rate. I really liked it. And I TOTALLY get the comparisons to throne of glass because there were some similarities. But even if you didn't love tog, I still recommend this because even though there were some similar things about it, it was not....the same. And I will attempt to write this4.25

This was super awesome! I admit that maybe it wasn't the most original of plots, but it was an old plot in a new setting that made it seem really fresh and interesting. And it was a fun plot, at any rate. I really liked it. And I TOTALLY get the comparisons to throne of glass because there were some similarities. But even if you didn't love tog, I still recommend this because even though there were some similar things about it, it was not....the same. And I will attempt to write this review without listing the things I found kind of similar, even thought that will be hard because a) Ia reminded me a lot of Celaena (which I guess could be good or bad depending on who you are...) b) she's practically an assassin who gets caught and has to work for the "empire" and c) it was compared to throne of glass before it was even released so obviously my brain was hardwired to seek out all the comparisons I can.

T H O U G H T S

~ I really enjoyed the characters. We see the story mainly from the perspective of two girls - Ia and another one whose name I have conveniently forgotten. I'm so great at this. But Ia (as I mentioned before) is very much like Celaena from the Throne of Glass series, meaning slightly arrogant, but also cares a lot about stuff. (<--- an accurate demonstration of my eloquence with words.) And [insert the name I forgot here] was also a strong character, although personally I preferred Ia. She was just a bit more interesting and badass.

- The writing style and plot were really easy to read and super fun! This first book is making way for an epic new series which I am definitely looking forwards to. I want to know what happens next to all these characters. And while, okay, the plot twist was kind of predictable, I don't care? There was something about this book which seemed to make old tropes seem new, and that is always great. We like the older tropes, just not when they are recycled in the same way over and over and over again. Basically, synopsis wise, outlaw Ia (who everyone thinks is some dude but she's actually a girl - hooray!) gets captured on a mission and is made to work for the empire as one of their pilots. In case you hadn't realized from both the cover and the blurb, this is a sci-fi! I found that I don't actually read a lot of sci-fi, but this is a light sci-fi.

I'm try to write this review telling you that this book is fun but also trying not to demean it, because it isn't trashy or 'not-deep'. Because it really isn't! There are some powerful messages in here about identity and the kind of things you need to care about in life. So yep. I really recommend this, it is fresh and interesting and I really loved it! The characters are great, and there is lots of promise for an exciting new YA series that I think is super underrated . Throne of Glass in space was the original pitch for this, and if that sounds like an interesting concept to you, please go read it because yay its awesome. ...more

Everyone in the universe knows the outlaw Ia Cocha and fears him. One thing they don't know is that Ia is actually a seventeen year old girl. In reality she is a top notch pilot and a criminal mastermind who has spent her entire life terrorizing the imperalist Commonwealth that destroyed her home. When Ia gets caught by the Commonwealth, they see the truth of her identity as an opportunity. They will force her to serve them and prI received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone in the universe knows the outlaw Ia Cocha and fears him. One thing they don't know is that Ia is actually a seventeen year old girl. In reality she is a top notch pilot and a criminal mastermind who has spent her entire life terrorizing the imperalist Commonwealth that destroyed her home. When Ia gets caught by the Commonwealth, they see the truth of her identity as an opportunity. They will force her to serve them and prove once and for all that no one beyond their control. Before long, Ia is stuck plotting her escape at a Commonwealth military academy. Her new acquaintances, though, Brinn and Knives, cause Ia to begin to question her own alliances.

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan is a YA sci-fi debut and promising series opener. I was really hoping to love it - I mean, the cover and the blurb definitely hooked me. While I liked it well enough, it didn't quite distinguish itself enough for me. There's a lot to like from Ia and Knives, exactly the sort of characters I like to read about, the fast pace, the action, and just how timely the story feels in terms of refugees. Overall, though, the way the story played out didn't impress me in part because it feels very familiar. I couldn't help but compare it to The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer and the Starbound series by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, but it never quite reaches those heights. In part, I think that's because there's not a whole lot of world-building. I usually like being thrown into the action right away, but I don't think we ended up with enough to make up for it later on. Looking back on it, I doubt I could go into much more detail about the setting aside from coming up with space or military academy. Finally, I wanted to mention the three perspectives used to tell the story - Ia, Knives, and Brinn. I preferred the Ia and Knives sections to Brinn by far. Brinn's perspective didn't flow as well as it could have and it bogged down the storytelling a little too much.

Overall, Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan is a decent YA sci-fi debut. I had really high expectations going in and it didn't quite live up to them. All things considered, though, it's a great first effort and I have a feeling the sequel could be truly great. I have a feeling you'll want to pick up Milan's new novel if you like Marissa Meyer and Amie Kaufman. Thanks again for this opportunity, NetGalley!...more

Space books are difficult for me, mainly because I’m not that intelligent and so can’t really follow along with all the technical space talk, ya get me? But I’m so desperate to love that I keep trying and trying but...I just can’t. I absolutely adored The Lunar Chronicles, but most other sci-fi books fall short for me.

Sadly, Ignite the Stars is no different.

It was okay, it really was. I liked Ia, our criminal mastermind extraordinaire, but there was just something missing.

(On a different note,Space books are difficult for me, mainly because I’m not that intelligent and so can’t really follow along with all the technical space talk, ya get me? But I’m so desperate to love that I keep trying and trying but...I just can’t. I absolutely adored The Lunar Chronicles, but most other sci-fi books fall short for me.

Sadly, Ignite the Stars is no different.

It was okay, it really was. I liked Ia, our criminal mastermind extraordinaire, but there was just something missing.

(On a different note, the name keeps making me sing Rewrite the Stars from The Greatest Showman whenever I read it, so that’s always a plus.)

Ignite the Stars is told in three different POVs - Ia, our aforementioned criminal, Brinn, who didn’t really serve much of a purpose outside of her relationship with Ia, and Knives the Flight Master at a prestigious military training school, and also the son of the General who devotes his time to hunting down Ia.

When Ia is captured and sent to the academy, Knives is forced to hold her reins - in the form of a device that could stop Ia’s heart within seconds.

So, obviously, I shipped it.

If this book was told in Ia and Knives’s POVs, I probably would have given this 4 stars instead of 3, but Brinn just dragged this ship down. I skim read the majority of her chapters, because I just couldn’t bring myself to care about her.

Ia, however, is a bit of a whirlwind. She’s reckless and brilliant and arrogant and dangerous, just how I like my heroines. Her POV was definitely the highlight of the book for me.

For a debut novel, Maura’s writing was really good. The only problem I had with it was the made up curse words. Every time someone said “miff” or “miffing” instead of “fuck” or “fucking”, I cringed so hard. There are a few other made up curses that weren’t quite as bad or overused as “miff”, but I, personally, find it just a little bit silly when authors invent their own curse words.

Had this book been fantasy instead of sci-fi, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more, as I always struggle with space settings, as I said earlier. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of YA sci-fi books, though, as it definitely has a lot of potential, and I feel like I’m going to be in the minority with my rating of it.

*thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an arc*...more

Even though initially I almost felt like this would be rated lower because the pacing and set-up felt a little clunky, I actually really ended up enjoying myself. It was a fun space adventure (that I could see as a film or tv series with more development)!

ALL THE YES. A diverse, empowering sci-fi that's at once super accessible and also full of deeper issues, Milan expertly weaving heart-pounding action scenes and swoony romance with real-world themes of imperialism and prejudice. The military-academy setting brings those perfect boarding-school vibes and every character sings off the page. Also, LOVE the realistic portrayal of female friendship, complete with all its problems and unique merits. Yay for bad-ass girls of all kinds!

Babyish. Clumsy. Everyone has a very strange moral compass (kind of 9 year oldish) and the writer has no clue how any social constructs, you know, like polities and the military, actually operate. She hasn’t thought everything through. Crappy space opera. Stupid world building. It’s one of those books where people drink “caffeine” instead of, you know, coffee or tea. And she has no idea how radiation poisoning from uranium works....I mean, why have uranium at all? It’s all kinda like that. Not tBabyish. Clumsy. Everyone has a very strange moral compass (kind of 9 year oldish) and the writer has no clue how any social constructs, you know, like polities and the military, actually operate. She hasn’t thought everything through. Crappy space opera. Stupid world building. It’s one of those books where people drink “caffeine” instead of, you know, coffee or tea. And she has no idea how radiation poisoning from uranium works....I mean, why have uranium at all? It’s all kinda like that. Not thought out or through at all.

I would have adored this when I was 14. In fact, I might have written it when I was 14. For school? (And got a bad mark) I mean, the MC is this big ol’ super space rebellion leader, .. who is 17. Yet nowhere in the book is the chronology explained, ie how long she’s been rebellion-leading. And no, this isn’t anything like ender’s game.

There’s a male MC who’s an idiot, also a big baby... but then, they’ll all kind of babyish.

To be fair, I was very annoyed with it yet I kept reading, although by the end I was skimming.

So this might be worth a read if you are 14 and have never read...oh I dunno. Not even then. If you want to read the good equivalent, go read the warrior’s apprentice by bujold....more

this book is the embodiment of why I consume fiction. everything was absolutely perfect. this is the best thing I've read in a long time, and just read it okay?? I sat on my bed for an hour afterwards an just stared at my wall and shook my head in complete disbelief. I don't know what else to say

Recently I was riding a space opera high that started with Maria Snyder's Navigating the Stars and needed all the talented-angsty-teen-having-a-spaceship-romance-while-solving-a-mystery plots I could find. I'm thrilled the binge brought me here. Riding that high encouraged me to stick with the book, and for that I'm grateful because Ignite the Stars did not suck me in on page one. It was closer to 20% before we were really feeling it. And now? Can't wait for book two!

While there are definitely aRecently I was riding a space opera high that started with Maria Snyder's Navigating the Stars and needed all the talented-angsty-teen-having-a-spaceship-romance-while-solving-a-mystery plots I could find. I'm thrilled the binge brought me here. Riding that high encouraged me to stick with the book, and for that I'm grateful because Ignite the Stars did not suck me in on page one. It was closer to 20% before we were really feeling it. And now? Can't wait for book two!

While there are definitely a lot of commonalities, I think calling Ignite 'Throne of Glass in Space' does it a disservice, in that the characters are much more fleshed out and the action is much more evenly paced. It's definitely still got that 'trying to check every genre' box ToG does, and is led by a young prisoner heroine given a chance at redemption who has to cooperate with a distrusting authority figure/love interest, but I'd argue it's a much stronger series debut....more

Can we please appreciate the cover first? Because not only do I really like it colour-wise, but there is a POC on the cover. All the thumbs up for that.But now, let’s get to the story. Even though I needed quite a long time to get into it, I just read 3/4 of the book in one sitting because… wow. What took me so long in the beginning was that the story is told in three POVs and that each chapter is another character. That made it hard for me to get really into that character in the beginning. ButCan we please appreciate the cover first? Because not only do I really like it colour-wise, but there is a POC on the cover. All the thumbs up for that.But now, let’s get to the story. Even though I needed quite a long time to get into it, I just read 3/4 of the book in one sitting because… wow. What took me so long in the beginning was that the story is told in three POVs and that each chapter is another character. That made it hard for me to get really into that character in the beginning. But the more the plot developed, the more I got to know the characters and because they all interacted with each other, it was then easy to follow their stories.

Ia certainly is one fierce character. Even though she is never described as being of Asian heritage (at least I think so?), I always imagined her that way, thanks to the cover. In the beginning we already get to know her as a killer with a good heart, even though most people only see the killer and not the good heart. When she is captured and brought to Aphelion, her enemies’ military academy, she tries everything to escape at first. But her brother convinces her to stay and get informations. So she stays but things do not go as planned: she finds friendship and also something more.What I liked about Ia’s chapters was her development and how she herself felt it and described it. How she went from not-caring to caring-very-much. But she stays herself through it all: sassy and brave, smart and quick.

The second POV is from Brinn, Ia’s roommate in Aphelion. She is not exactly happy about this, but she soon finds, that it isn’t all that bad, especially when Ia discovers Brinn’s secret. Slowly trust and friendship blossom between the two girls and even though this friendship has its ups and downs, it is a wonderful one. Brinn is extremely clever and so the two make a great team: Brinn the mind, Ia the fighter. Where Ia is hotheaded and talks with fists rather than her mouth, Brinn is more calm and analytical.Brinn also gets a great character development: from being insecure, she learns and accepts who she is.

The third protagonist is knives, the Flight Master of the academy and son to a powerful General. Who is also the general who captured Ia. He does not take any shit from Ia and knows just as well where to put a fist, if necessary. Even though the two of them are constantly at each other’s throats, they too, slowly grow together. I liked his character instantly because I liked the way he thinks and the motives that get him going.

But not only the characters were amazing, the plot was as well. Even though I still have not completely understood why Ia has to attend Aphelion, I am glad she did. Because so many components come together to form their story around Ia and her associates. And those plot twists? Damn. They really got to me.The whole book was fast paced, but especially the last 100 pages were intense and I could not get my eyes away from the pages. So much happened. I just wish I could read how the story goes on right now.

The only thing I would have liked to see more of is the general world building. The essentials were there, but I would really like to know more about how the Commonwealth works, how they treat their colonies, who and what the slaver nations are and who exactly are the criminal associates of Ia’s? And how Dark Space and normal space are interwined and work together or not?

Apart from this, I just loved everything. Even though this is a debut, it did not feel like it. The writing was great and easy to read and understand. The characters were wonderful and so was the plot. What a furious debut. Just… give me more of this....more

Guys! This book! 😍 The synopsis immediately grabbed my attention; the cover reveal (Asian model!) made me yearn for this book! So when I saw it on NetGalley, I ignored my looming (physical) TBR and requested the book! It was such a pleasant surprise to know I’d been approved.

I’ve been looking for a book to appease by craving for more sci-fi adventuYou can also read this review on my blog!

Guys! This book! 😍 The synopsis immediately grabbed my attention; the cover reveal (Asian model!) made me yearn for this book! So when I saw it on NetGalley, I ignored my looming (physical) TBR and requested the book! It was such a pleasant surprise to know I’d been approved.

I’ve been looking for a book to appease by craving for more sci-fi adventure after I finished Obsidio, and let me tell you that Ignite the Stars did the trick! You’re dropped right into the action, and it doesn’t stop until the very end. I fell absolutely in love with our cast of characters and adored how each had their own unique story that eventually intertwined.

One of my favorites parts of the story evolved around Brinn, one of the three main characters in Ignite the Stars. She’s biracial, which immediately drew my attention to her, and it’s something she struggles with through the course of the book. She even goes to some lengths to hide the parts of her that the people of the Olympus Commonwealth look down upon, especially with increasing tensions between the commonwealth and other planets. Yet the part Brinn tries to hide is the very part that becomes essential to the plot of the story, and it’s amazing to watch her transformation and acceptance of that fierce, strong part of her.

I also enjoyed the deep family ties both Ia and Knives had, Ia with her brother and Knives with his sister. In a sense, these two things brought the characters together in ways they didn’t imagine. And truthfully, I think Ia has depended so long on her brother, Einn, that when things take a dramatic and twisted turn, she has to be quick on her feet even more than usual. I also really liked the premise of Ia being one of the Commonwealth’s most sought after criminal and then everyone’s surprise that she’s a teenager. While I would have liked to see more of Ia’s antics, I definitely enjoyed her wit and strong personality while she’s at the military academy.

As for Knives… Looking for another smol book boyfriend? Just add Knives to your list. What’s not to love about him? He puts on a strong front, but he’s a total softie. I loved his interactions with Ia, and how the author chose to bring these two characters together. However, I did find some of the romantic bits between certain pairs of characters a little slow, and think perhaps it happened too quickly, especially for Brinn. Maybe because I just wasn’t expecting it?

In terms of the writing style, I found myself drawn to it and completely immersed in this galaxy. I know this book just released a few weeks ago, but I’m eagerly awaiting the next one just so I can return!...more

Ignite the Stars is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure with strong female characters. If you can suspend disbelief to get past the idea that a 17-year-old girl has been the most wanted criminal/rebel in the universe for several years, then this book is a fun ride, with a side of social commentary on immigrants and refugees. It's a strong and very bingeable debut.

Ia Cocha is a "criminal mastermind" and talented pilot who has been hiding both her identity and her compassionate heart. When she allows heIgnite the Stars is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure with strong female characters. If you can suspend disbelief to get past the idea that a 17-year-old girl has been the most wanted criminal/rebel in the universe for several years, then this book is a fun ride, with a side of social commentary on immigrants and refugees. It's a strong and very bingeable debut.

Ia Cocha is a "criminal mastermind" and talented pilot who has been hiding both her identity and her compassionate heart. When she allows herself to be captured in order to save the lives of Tawny refugees, she ends up imprisoned at a military academy. She is thrown together with Brinn, a student with her own secret who wants nothing to do with the notoriously brutal Ia. Cue political intrigue, teen drama, and spaceships!

This was a quick read and while it wasn't exactly ground-breaking, it was done pretty well for a YA sci-fi adventure. We've seen characters like this before, and Ia reminds me a little bit of Celeana Sardothian from Throne of Glass, except in space and without the royal heritage. I appreciated some of the snarky dialogue, the focus on female friendship, and the LACK of a love triangle! (And part of me wanted to see a romance develop between Ia and Brinn even though it didn't go that way. Fanfic anyone?)

But probably the best part of this book is the way it handles the othering of refugees and people from minority ethnic backgrounds. It feels very relevant to the world today, and comes with a strong message of accepting who you are and being proud of your heritage, even when people around you are hateful. And that is a great reason to read this.

Overall, while this isn't a perfect book, I enjoyed my time reading this and think it's worth picking up. I agreed to review an early copy of Ignite the Stars received via NetGalley. All opinions are my own....more

Ia is the scourge of the All Black. The Sovereign of Dead Space. Rogue of the Fringe Planets. Blood Wolf of the Skies.

And she's only seventeen.

But he rampage all comes crashing to a halt when the Olympus Commonwealth's army finally catches up to her. They apprehend her, but instead of throwing her into prison for life, they take a gamble, thinking they can use her youth and skills to help in their fight. So instead of a prison colony, they send Ia to Aphelion, a top-secret trainA Stellar Debut!

Ia is the scourge of the All Black. The Sovereign of Dead Space. Rogue of the Fringe Planets. Blood Wolf of the Skies.

And she's only seventeen.

But he rampage all comes crashing to a halt when the Olympus Commonwealth's army finally catches up to her. They apprehend her, but instead of throwing her into prison for life, they take a gamble, thinking they can use her youth and skills to help in their fight. So instead of a prison colony, they send Ia to Aphelion, a top-secret training academy for the Commonwealth's most promising cadets.

When she arrives, Ia is a reluctant student, plotting her escape every second of the day. While there, though, she meets Brinn, her roommate who's hiding a secret of her own, and Knives, the young flight master who's grown disillusioned with the army after his sister's death and who also happens to be the son of the general who captured Ia.

As the weeks pass with no escape in sight, Ia begins to realize that not every cadet is evil. The army has killed many of her own, but she's also killed many of them. In war, both sides pay a price. She begins to form bonds with Brinn and Knives, but is she getting ahead of herself? If she doesn't escape soon, she fears she might become just another Bug, toiling away for a corrupt Commonwealth.

Set against a galaxy in crisis, IGNITE THE STARS is rip-roaring fun. With action and adventure on every page. In her debut, Milan writes magnificently. The characters are complex and unforgettable. Each runs into their own moral dilemma and struggles to find a way forward. Fans of THE 100, ILLUMINAE, and THE DIABOLIC will surely want to pick this up. ...more

10% in and I knew I was hooked! That doesn't happen near as often as I would like. I'll be the first to say that I am not a big sci-fi YA fan. I can probably count on one hand how many YA sci-fi books I have read and actually enjoyed it. Not my favorite genre, BUT Ignite the Stars is certainly and most definitely the exception and I am so happy that I took the chance. The basic plot honestly reminded me of Divergent in the beginning - a girl is sent to a training "facility" and eventually falls10% in and I knew I was hooked! That doesn't happen near as often as I would like. I'll be the first to say that I am not a big sci-fi YA fan. I can probably count on one hand how many YA sci-fi books I have read and actually enjoyed it. Not my favorite genre, BUT Ignite the Stars is certainly and most definitely the exception and I am so happy that I took the chance. The basic plot honestly reminded me of Divergent in the beginning - a girl is sent to a training "facility" and eventually falls for one of her instructors/teachers. Granted there are probably a lot of books that I haven't read with that same plot, but Divergent was the one to stick out for me. Having said that, the basic plot is where those similarities end and it becomes its own animal. This story had everything - a fierce heroine and a flawed/conflicted hero that were amazing characters by themselves, but when they got together: chemistry AF and delicious banter (enemies to lovers!!) that would..well..excuse the pun, but would ignite the stars. ;) And if that swoony side piece isn't enough, there's friendships, family, betrayals, loss, a twist that I SO should have saw coming (argh!!), and not 1, but 2 bad guys with very punchable faces - all wrapped into a sci-fi experience really that left me ticked that I read it so early, but also SO excited and ready for the sequel! Gah, I need it!

*Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review.*

**************************************Oh, this was good. This was really good!

I needed a good ya sci-fi and Ignite the Stars gave it to me! This book is intense and I read it in one sitting. I loved that it was written from three point of views. I'm always wondering in other books what the other characters are thinking beyond what the narrator tells us and this author gives you exactly that. I loved Ia as the main character and the character development is well written. This is a beautiful space opera and I can't wait for more! You don't want to miss this beauty!

Ia is a sI needed a good ya sci-fi and Ignite the Stars gave it to me! This book is intense and I read it in one sitting. I loved that it was written from three point of views. I'm always wondering in other books what the other characters are thinking beyond what the narrator tells us and this author gives you exactly that. I loved Ia as the main character and the character development is well written. This is a beautiful space opera and I can't wait for more! You don't want to miss this beauty!

Ia is a space mercenary and is so cautious that no one knows she is a girl. Knives gets orders to capture the killer known as Ia Coche and bring her to a military training facility to reform her or lifelong imprisonment. She chooses the school of course. Her roommate Brinn is brilliant and between the two of them they are pretty much unstoppable. Ia has an escape plan and only Knives, the General's son, stands in her way.

This book will be published September 4, 2018Thank you to Edelweiss and Albert Whitman & Company for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review....more

“It’s better to have you in here working for us instead of out there making alliances with someone worse.”

Ia os feared by many in the Empire, until she is captured and forced into service to the military academy. Desperate to make an escape, she learns that having and being the enemy is not so clear cut while spending time with them.

“War was an awful thing. It left an impression on her cells, soured the blood flowing through her veins, leaving a rotten stench inside her that only she could s “It’s better to have you in here working for us instead of out there making alliances with someone worse.”

Ia os feared by many in the Empire, until she is captured and forced into service to the military academy. Desperate to make an escape, she learns that having and being the enemy is not so clear cut while spending time with them.

“War was an awful thing. It left an impression on her cells, soured the blood flowing through her veins, leaving a rotten stench inside her that only she could smell. She didn’t want to admit it was guilt, but it was, festering forever in her core.”

Not a bad YA sci-fi novel. It goes between three different points of view. There is a hint at romance, but it doesn’t overpower the plot at all. It’s not a standalone, but there’s no cliffhanger ending.

“No matter how far you journey, your family is the anchor that brings you back.” ...more

On paper, this book is everything I ever wanted in a YA sci-fi. Found family. LGBT rep. Diverse MC (mainly Ia, who is Asian). Political themes that tie in to the present day. That gorgeous cover.

And yet.

I couldn't suspend my disbelief long enough to work through to the rest of the story.

Merciless galactic criminal mastermind at 17? Okay, sure.

19-year-old Flight Instructor? Sure. Sure.

Scared immigrant who joins the military out of a misplaced patriotism? Okay, yeah.

Military Academy thatDNF at 27%

On paper, this book is everything I ever wanted in a YA sci-fi. Found family. LGBT rep. Diverse MC (mainly Ia, who is Asian). Political themes that tie in to the present day. That gorgeous cover.

And yet.

I couldn't suspend my disbelief long enough to work through to the rest of the story.

Merciless galactic criminal mastermind at 17? Okay, sure.

19-year-old Flight Instructor? Sure. Sure.

Scared immigrant who joins the military out of a misplaced patriotism? Okay, yeah.

Military Academy that pops out amaze-balls pilots in two years and only has three occupational specialties for people to go into? WHERE THE MIFF IS MY LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY SECTION?!(view spoiler)[Yes, I get that engineers cover all-of-the-unmentioned, but plane maintenance does not for one second cover other maintenance of equipment, nor do maintainers get the parts from place to place, figure out the food and ammo situation, and basically keep things running while the fly-people do their zippy space things. Give SuppOs and Loggies some love for like one minute. I'm begging you. (hide spoiler)]

Where do the people who board the space ships in combat gear come from? How the hell does the General acquire a new medal every month when they're theoretically at peace? Where is the military discipline in this famous academy and why the hell would you ever enroll the galaxy best murderer much less give her a roommate???!

Plus, literally every time someone is mentioned there is something going on with their hair...and 76% of time their hair is mentioned, so is the hair color. I mean, I get it for Brinne, who naturally needs to hide her blue hair because her people are scorned, but does it really need to be reinforced that Ia has ash-black hair and Knives is the fairest blond in all the land?

How I imagine the dialogue between characters, honestly:

And

Ok. Rant over.

I'm very, very certain that this book will find an audience with many, many people. I just couldn't get over the military aspects of the book. And the hair. And the use of miff as a substitute for fuck/piss/shit/crap (i.e., "this miffing sucks" and "my dad was miffed") and then munge for hell/shit. And Ia was annoying as hell. Hopefully she gets over herself, but I'm not sticking around to find out.

I received this ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>...more

An epic young adult science fiction adventure. Ia is known throughout the galaxies as a rebel, a fighter, an avenger. When she is eventually caught, many are surprised she is a seventeen year old. This begins her new adventure fighting for her freedom, her life and now her friends. She’s a loner finding her way. The best thing that happens is encountering Knives and Brina. Those two change her life.

Epic. Touching. A wonderful story.

I received a copy of this bookIgnite the Stars by Maura Milan

An epic young adult science fiction adventure. Ia is known throughout the galaxies as a rebel, a fighter, an avenger. When she is eventually caught, many are surprised she is a seventeen year old. This begins her new adventure fighting for her freedom, her life and now her friends. She’s a loner finding her way. The best thing that happens is encountering Knives and Brina. Those two change her life.

Disclaimer: I received this free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Ia is a criminal mastermind and an unrivalled pilot. Known by the name Cocha, everyone fears her name – she is known as a force against the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home planet. Captured, Ia is forced to work for the same Commonwealth she despises. Trapped in a prestigious military academy Ia plots her escape while also bonding with her roommate, Brinn, who has a closely hDisclaimer: I received this free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Ia is a criminal mastermind and an unrivalled pilot. Known by the name Cocha, everyone fears her name – she is known as a force against the Olympus Commonwealth, the imperialist nation that destroyed her home planet. Captured, Ia is forced to work for the same Commonwealth she despises. Trapped in a prestigious military academy Ia plots her escape while also bonding with her roommate, Brinn, who has a closely held secret. Her new acquaintances cause her to question her own alliances and she needs to escape the Commonwealth’s clutches before these bonds deepen.

Ignite the Stars was a decent science fiction book. It had a decent plot, though it was quite choppy and messy at times and didn’t always flow well so it did sometimes lose me. It had spaceships, military bases, alien races, and ice planets. The pacing was also decent but could have been better. It wasn’t the space adventure I was hoping for because it was primarily set on this military base, but hopefully, the sequel delves more into space action territory and delves more into the ‘world-building’. I also didn’t really like the whole made up ‘miffing‘ cursing thing, it kind of got a little annoying.

Ignite the Stars did feature a lot of social commentaries which I enjoyed. Primarily about refugees, war, and colonization. There were three different POVs which made it a little difficult to get into at first but the characters and dynamics between them were the most positive aspect of Ignite the Stars. Ia is a great protagonist, she is fierce, reckless, and arrogant but also kind, sarcastic, witty, and smart. There was a nice slow burn romance with another protagonist, Knives. It was nice and they did have good chemistry together.

Overall, Ignite the Stars is a decent read, but it was kind of just that....more

In YA, it is not uncommon to have teenage protagonists lead armies, or be the smartest, most dangerous person around by the end of the book. Ia is not one of those protagonists. She is already the most dangerous criminal in the galaxy by the time she turns seventeen, and has been building her reputation for years.

I admit that this tested my suspension of disbelief, which sounds strange to say in a sci-fi book with aliens. StillI received an ARC through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

In YA, it is not uncommon to have teenage protagonists lead armies, or be the smartest, most dangerous person around by the end of the book. Ia is not one of those protagonists. She is already the most dangerous criminal in the galaxy by the time she turns seventeen, and has been building her reputation for years.

I admit that this tested my suspension of disbelief, which sounds strange to say in a sci-fi book with aliens. Still, it was interesting to see how Ia's character arc was in a way the opposite of a standard YA character arc: instead of becoming someone strong and feared, she already starts out that way, and her character arc is instead about letting people close.

I loved how this book was told from three different perspectives, how the three protagonists came from very different backgrounds, and how they all had a distinct character arc where they changed the way they view the world. Ignite the Stars also had some genuinely scary/creepy scenes where I could really feel the tension and worry about what was going to happen.

I certainly didn't see the twist coming, although that might have been because I didn't want to believe it would come. If this was a standalone, then I really wouldn't be content with the villain, but the end suggests that there's going to be a sequel that puts more focus on that relationship, so I'm holding out for that.

I have to say that I'm not sure I like Ia's change of affiliation, though. I can see her loyalty to her friends like Brinn or Knives, but I don't really see any basis for her to have loyalty towards the system they are part of. I'm sure she will still be critical in the future, but this made the ending strange for me.

**I was provided an ARC of this amazing story from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Okay, holy crap. I've had to take a couple days after finishing this to form a coherent review.

Let me start by saying that SciFi/Space type books are NOT my thing. Well, they weren't my thing...but this book changed my mind.

I was sucked in right from the start.

Ia is the main character. She is a badass. She is fearless and ruthless and strong. Also, she is passionate. Everything she does, she does w**I was provided an ARC of this amazing story from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Okay, holy crap. I've had to take a couple days after finishing this to form a coherent review.

Let me start by saying that SciFi/Space type books are NOT my thing. Well, they weren't my thing...but this book changed my mind.

I was sucked in right from the start.

Ia is the main character. She is a badass. She is fearless and ruthless and strong. Also, she is passionate. Everything she does, she does well and at full speed. I'm not sure how much to go into her story, because I'm not sure what will be considered a spoiler, and learning about Ia is one of the best parts of this book.

Knives is the hunky, broody, talented flight master. He's snarky, smart, strong, and very likable. He has emotional depth and his story is touching and realistic.

Brinn is the other badass female in this story. Brinn has to hide who she is for most of the story and is affected by that choice and what it means. Brinn is loyal, fierce, and smart. I love Brinn and Ia's friendship/frenemy status.

I can't tell you the last time I read a book and wasn't annoyed with at least ONE character. This book is on point. I loved all the characters and all the side characters (even the evil ones were written well and you connected with them, even if it was just hating them). The story is fast paced and moves along nicely in terms of events happening and emotion. There is NEVER a dull moment in this book and I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen and what twists would take place.

Let me tell you, the twist ending is not something I saw coming. I can not wait for book 2 to be here!!

(I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.)

I was only a few pages into Ignite the Stars when I got the sinking feeling that I knew this story. Ignite the Starsis a very average young adult science-fiction story with a lot of familiar elements. And I mean ‘a lot.’

Do you recognise any of these tropes and traits: a prickly, mercenary female character, caught and imprisoned and given a chance to redeem herself? A school-like environment(I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.)

I was only a few pages into Ignite the Stars when I got the sinking feeling that I knew this story. Ignite the Starsis a very average young adult science-fiction story with a lot of familiar elements. And I mean ‘a lot.’

Do you recognise any of these tropes and traits: a prickly, mercenary female character, caught and imprisoned and given a chance to redeem herself? A school-like environment built upon competition? An inappropriate love-interest that becomes an insta-love situation when said female character shows amazing skills that others don’t have? Roommates who can’t stand each other?

They’re all in here, plus more. And they’re not bad things to include in a story - it just felt like it has all been done before and there wasn’t sufficient depth or exploration of any of them to make me feel like I was invested in the story, or the characters.

If we want to get technical, there’s nothing wrong with the story or the writing style - it’s alright. It’s easy to read and I’m sure there will people out there who really enjoy this story, especially if you're fans of Throne of Glass or Zenith. It just wasn’t what I was after in a science-fiction story and so I was left disappointed....more

Maura Milan currently resides in Los Angeles, where she can be found hanging out in cafes and drinking matcha lattes. In her free time, Maura enjoys watching Korean dramas and hanging out with her schipperke, Thor, who she believes should become a professional comedian.

“If she was going down, she was going to do it one way and one way alone. Gloriously.”
—
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“This girl was a child of violence. She had suffered and survived. That was a part of her, but what about the girl who had teased him five minutes ago? Where did she fit in? Was she a mirage, a mere trick of the eyes? Did that person really not exist at all?”
—
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